An Hour and a Half of Ad-Libs: Conway Defends Trump’s Tangent-Filled Economic Speech

Former White House adviser Kellyanne Conway found herself on the defensive after Donald Trump’s economic speech in Georgia veered dramatically off-topic, stretching from the planned address into a lengthy 80-minute spectacle. What was intended to be a focused presentation on the economy quickly turned into a rally-style performance that left many wondering about the substance of his message.

Fox News host John Roberts was among the first to point out the unexpected shift in Trump’s address. “That was quite a speech, almost an hour and a half,” Roberts remarked. “I was following along with the prepared text, and I think the speech was three times as long as the prepared text because he kept ad-libbing and deviating so much”, told BBC.

“Trump Went Off Topic a Little Bit”

Conway, a longtime Trump loyalist, was quick to defend the former president’s performance, acknowledging that he did stray from the script but insisting that his message remained focused on the economy. “He did go off topic a little bit,” Conway admitted. “But he outlined very specific plans for the economy.” She went on to argue that the speech was a challenge to Vice President Kamala Harris to stop speaking in “generics” and to offer more detailed plans.

Despite Conway’s defense, some critics were not convinced. Fox News political analyst Juan Williams noted that while Trump might have been aiming for a policy-driven speech, he failed to deliver on specifics. “Kellyanne said he got granular,” Williams observed, “but I’m still waiting for the grain here, the granular pieces.”

“An Hour and a Half of Attacks on Harris”

Williams continued his critique, pointing out that instead of laying out detailed economic policies, Trump spent much of his speech attacking Harris, even labeling her a “communist.” “For an hour and a half, all I heard from him was attacks on Harris,” Williams said, adding that the speech felt more like a rally than a policy address. “Come on, Juan!” Conway interrupted, attempting to steer the conversation back on track. “You have the text in front of you. Don’t say that.”

However, Williams stood firm, insisting that the speech lacked substance. “It was pretty much just an ad hominem personal attack,” he responded. He also pointed out that Trump’s focus on Harris ignored the fact that the U.S. economy has been growing, even in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Even as he attacks Harris, he ignores the fact the U.S. economy right now is growing even after COVID. It’s the best on the globe. Manufacturing fell to its lowest under Trump.”

“I Just Can’t Abide These Lies”

As the conversation grew more heated, Conway pushed back hard, accusing Williams of spreading misinformation. “I just can’t sit here and abide these lies,” she said in frustration. But Williams refused to back down. “It’s not a lie,” he shot back. “It’s the absolute truth.”

The back-and-forth between Conway and Williams mirrored the broader debate surrounding Trump’s economic record and his ability to stay on message. Even John Roberts, the host, admitted that Trump’s prepared remarks made up only a fraction of the total speech. “His prepared remarks were only one-fifth of the total content,” Roberts acknowledged.

In an attempt to deflect further criticism, Conway ended the segment with a swipe at Trump’s political opponents. “Well, at least he speaks,” she grumbled, perhaps hinting at the frequent criticism that Harris and other Democrats have been less direct in their messaging.

While Conway tried to defend Trump’s meandering address, it was clear that many were left waiting for the “granular” details that never arrived. In the end, Trump’s speech may have generated more questions than answers, as he continues to blend policy discussions with personal attacks in the final stretch of his campaign.